LEICESTER, U K (This is Lincolnshire) - Money raised by people in Lincoln will give 1,700 Madagascans clean piped water for the first time.

Around £10,000 was collected for the charity Water Aid during celebrations for the city's water centenary celebrations.

And organisers are hoping this could increase to £35,000 with help from the international Rotary Foundation.

The existing funds allow 900 people to use newly built latrines.

And the additional cash would pay for two gravity-flow water schemes for rural communities on the African island, one of the world's poorest countries.

Six technicians would also be trained up and hygiene education introduced for villagers and schools.

Lincoln Water 100 took place in October to mark a century of continuous safe water supply to the city.

The celebrations were put on by The Rotary Club of Lincoln and Anglian Water.

Barry Dean, chairman of the Lincoln Water 100 committee, said: "Our forefathers in Lincoln suffered from unsafe water in the fatal typhoid epidemic of 1905 which led directly to the creation of the Elkesley supply.

"This project achieves what we set out to do – to recognise our century of safe water by helping those who still don't have it.

"I have no doubt that this project will significantly improve the health of the villagers and help to alleviate their poverty.

"To unlock the funding we must have a local Rotary club as a joint partner.

"A local club in Madagascar has been approached and is enthusiastic about the project. We look forward to receiving information and photographs in due course."